`a short and sweet story to remember

The Mayonnaise Jar


When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a
day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar...and the coffee...

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of
him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty
mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the
students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the
jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas
between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was
full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of
course, the sand filled up everything
else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a
unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and
poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space
between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, " I want you to
recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the
important things- your God, family, your children, your health, your
friends, and your favorite passions-things that if everything else was lost
and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the
other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. The sand
is everything else-the small stuff."

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room
for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for
life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will
never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to
the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children.
Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play
another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the
disposal. Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter.
Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee
represented.

The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no
matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of
cups of coffee with a friend."